Atlanta theaters offer audiences familiar holiday gifts

From Ebenezer Scrooge to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, theatergoers can look forward to revisiting a host of traditional stories and characters in an assortment of tried-and-true shows this holiday season.

The undisputed granddaddy among them is the Alliance Theatre’s lavish staging of the Charles Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol,” an Atlanta yuletide tradition for 24 years now. In 20 of those annual productions, local luminary Chris Kayser has appeared in the ensemble — twice as Bob Cratchit, twice as Jacob Marley’s Ghost and, since 1998, as ornery old Scrooge.

The show will live on, no doubt, but the 2013 version marks the end of an era: Kayser has announced he’s taking his final bow in the role this year. At the helm again is director Rosemary Newcott. Other returning cast members include Elizabeth Wells Berkes and Bart Hansard as the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present, Neal Ghant as Cratchit and Andrew Benator as Marley.

Previews begin Nov. 29. Opening night is Dec. 4 and the show runs through Dec. 29 at the Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. $14-$75. 404-733-5000, www.alliancetheatre.org.

Two other perennial favorites return to Horizon Theatre. For grown-ups, the 15th annual production of the catty David Sedaris comedy “The Santaland Diaries” recasts Harold M. Leaver as a cranky department-store Santa, with Enoch King and LaLa Cochran as his merry elves. For the whole family, there’s the sixth annual incarnation of “Madeline’s Christmas,” a musical based on the popular children’s book.

“Santaland” continues through Dec. 31 ($25-$40). “Madeline” runs Dec. 7-31 ($12-$15). Horizon Theatre, 1083 Austin Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-584-7450, www.horizontheatre.com.

Another long-standing holiday hit is the series of musical revues at Aurora Theatre. “Christmas Canteen 2013” is the 18th of them, and this time the seasonal variety show has a Las Vegas theme. Co-star (and head writer) Brandon O’Dell returns for his 10th year.

Also on tap in Aurora’s studio space: artistic director Anthony Rodriguez’s one-man version of “A Christmas Carol” (now in its seventh year), which tells the story in a way similar to how Dickens himself did it; and a new show, “The 12 Dates of Christmas,” a one-woman comedy featuring Jaclyn Hofmann.

“Canteen” opens Nov. 29 and continues through Dec. 22 ($30-$40). The two studio shows alternate performances Dec. 5-22 ($15). Aurora Theatre, 128 E. Pike St., Lawrenceville. 678-226-6222, www.auroratheatre.com.

Aurora’s is one of two renditions of the Dickens tale to be adapted and directed by Tony Brown. The other is Atlanta Shakespeare’s “A Christmas Carol,” with Drew Reeves heading the cast as Scrooge. It’s the Tavern’s fourth mounting of the show since 2007.

Dec. 5-23. The New American Shakespeare Tavern, 499 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. $15-$36. 404-874-5299, www.shakespearetavern.com.

For a more irreverent and improvisational take on the story, Dad’s Garage’s sixth annual production of “Invasion: A Christmas Carol” adds a different, totally unrelated character into the mix at each performance. This year, artistic director Kevin Gillese plays Scrooge.

Nov. 29-Dec. 23 at Fabrefaction Theatre, 999 Brady Ave. N.W., Atlanta. $15-$25. 404-523-3141, www.dadsgarage.com.

Theatrical Outfit revives last season’s yuletide hit “The Gifts of the Magi,” a musical adaptation of the famous morality tale by O. Henry. Nick Arapoglou and Caroline Freedlund reunite as poor young newlyweds in 1900s New York who struggle to find their Christmas spirit.

Nov. 30-Dec. 22. The Balzer Theater at Herren’s, 84 Luckie St. N.W., Atlanta. $25-$45. 877-725-8849, www.theatricaloutfit.org.

Atlanta Lyric Theatre holds another reunion of sorts with “Sanders Family Christmas,” which had long been a holiday staple at the now-defunct Theatre in the Square. The cast from that annual musical production, which tells a nostalgic, folksy tale of sending a family member off to World War II, is back together: Karen Howell, Alan Kilpatrick, Jennifer Akin, Scott DePoy, Laura Floyd, Jeremy Wood and J.P. Peterson.

Dec. 13-22. First United Methodist Church, 56 Whitlock Ave., Marietta. $28-$33. 404-377-9948, www.atlantalyrictheatre.com.

Actor’s Express presents Libby Whittemore in the seventh annual installment of her seasonal cabaret show “Ho-Ho-Home for the Holidays (and a Connie Sue Day Christmas).” The revue includes comedy routines and musical renditions of traditional carols, in addition to such ditties as “The Twelve Days of a White Trash Christmas.”

Dec. 13-22. Actor’s Express, 87 W. Marietta St., Atlanta. $40. 404-607-7469, www.actors-express.com.

Adapted by artistic director Jon Ludwig, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” based on the popular stop-motion animated TV special from the 1960s, returns to the Center for Puppetry Arts.

Continuing through Dec. 29. Center for Puppetry Arts, 1404 Spring St. N.W., Atlanta. $9.25-$13.25 (for members), $16.50-$20.50 (for nonmembers). 404-873-3391, www.puppet.org.

There’s more family fare courtesy of Synchronicity Theatre’s “Peter Pan & Wendy” (a co-production with Aurora Theatre), a musical version of the beloved J.M. Barrie book. It’s only marginally a Christmas show, and one of the few offerings this holiday season that Atlanta audiences are seeing for the first time.